


The Right Time

by helsinkibaby



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Canon Het Relationship, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Fluff, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23221204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: Junior needs to check something with Steve.
Relationships: Junior Reigns/Tani Rey
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39
Collections: 1 Million Words' Weekend Challenge





	The Right Time

**Author's Note:**

> For the weekend challenge. My prompt was “a reliable wife” 
> 
> There are many ways the finale could joss this fic. Ah well.

“Hey, boss... can I have a word?” 

Steve usually operates a pretty open door policy with his team so when he looks up to see Junior standing at his door, he’s instantly curious. When the younger man shifts slightly on his feet, discomfort fairly radiating off him, Steve stands up. “Sure thing, man. Everything okay?” 

Junior glances over his shoulder, his eyes sweeping over HQ and finding it deserted. “You tell me,” he says as he steps into Steve’s office and closes the door firmly behind him. Steve’s expecting him to speak but he merely opens his mouth and closes it again before rubbing a hand over his lips. Steve frowns and Junior shakes his head, reaches into his pocket and pulls something out, tossing it at Steve. 

He catches it automatically, looks down to find a small, square black box. It’s the kind of box that can only house one thing so he’s not at all surprised when he opens it up and finds a diamond ring blinking brightly up at him. A single, small stone on a gold band, it’s simple, elegant, perfect for Tani - Junior chose well. 

But that doesn’t mean Steve can’t tease him a little. 

“I don’t know what to say, man,” Steve starts, only a little amused when Junior blinks, looking taken aback. “I’m just not really sure it’s my style, you know?” He lets his grin bleed through as he holds the box up closer. “Plus it looks a little small for me...”

Junior shakes his head, looks up at the ceiling. “Very funny.” 

Steve snaps the box closed, tosses it back to Junior. “You want my opinion? Tani’s gonna love it.” 

Except that even as he says it, it doesn’t ring quite true. Grover or Quinn would surely be better people to ask about rings, or Tani’s taste in them. He tilts his head, narrows his eyes and Junior squares his shoulders, doesn’t blink. “That’s not what I wanted your opinion about.” 

The words hang between them for a long moment before something clicks with Steve. “You’re asking for my permission?” 

He can’t believe it, but Junior just shrugs. “We work together,” he reminds Steve. “Plenty of places have regs about that.” 

Steve narrows his eyes. “You know Adam was married to Kono when she worked here, right? And he helped us out from time to time.” If Catherine’s laugh dances through his memory, well, he’ll push that aside. 

Junior doesn’t know about Catherine, so although he’s talking about Kono and Adam when he says, “It’s not like that ended well,” it’s equally applicable to Catherine and Steve. “I figured it might have changed your opinion.” 

Which is a fair point, Steve supposes. But not the point here. “If I’d had any objections,” he says, “I’d have voiced them way before now.” 

“But this is different to just dating,” Junior says, as if he and Tani haven’t been living together for the last year, married in all but name for even longer than that. “It’s marriage. It’s permanent.”

Steve scoffs. “Like you and Tani haven’t been that since day one.” He swears that Junior’s cheeks flush a little. He definitely looks pleased. “But if it makes you feel better, convince me. Tell me why I should allow it.” He doesn’t bother pointing out that he doesn’t have any authority to stop it. Not officially anyway. Instead he smirks. “Think of it as practice.” 

Junior doesn’t blink, doesn’t pause. “Ive known it since day one over pancakes at the Wailana Coffee House. I’ve known it every day we worked together, every day she has my back, every time she saves my ass, which is often, in case you haven’t noticed. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me... and if it’s a choice between Tani and the job, then it’s no choice at all.” 

Pressing his lips together, Steve nods his head thoughtfully. “Works for me,” he says. “And I’m pretty sure it’ll work for Tani too. In fact, I think you should go take care of that.” 

Junior grins. “Yeah... me too.” 

*

When he leaves headquarters, Junior goes straight home and if he pushes the speed limit where he can, well, it wouldn’t be the first time. He loves his job, but the days when Tani leaves before him, the days he gets to slide his key in the front door of their house and find her waiting for him, those are his favourite days. 

The house is quiet when he steps inside, which is unusual enough to be noteworthy. A quick glance towards the couch tells him why - Tani is curled up there, her cheek pillowed on one arm, her eyes closed and her breathing deep and even. 

The sight of her like this makes him smile and he savours the moment as he stands and looks at her. She’s so peaceful, lying there, whereas on the job, she gives off serious “I could kill you with one look” vibes. Which is fair enough, because she totally could. He’s the only one who gets to see her like this and he’ll never stop feeling like the luckiest man in the world that she trusts him enough to let him in. 

As if she can sense his presence, she shifts, brow furrowing and he’s beside her suddenly without any memory of moving. He kneels in front of her, his hand running over her hair and her eyelids flutter, her frown deepening into a pout that is, frankly, adorable. 

Yeah, he’s got it bad. This is not news. 

“Junes?” she mumbles, her head moving against his palm, reminding him of a cat arching into a touch. 

“Hey, sleepyhead.” He keeps his voice light, quiet. 

Tani blinks but doesn’t otherwise move. “What time is it?” 

Junior glances at his watch but what comes out is something different. “The right time.” She makes a noise in the back of her throat, indicating confusion, and he uses that second to go down on one knee, to get the little square box from his pocket. 

He opens it and waits. 

Her eyes go wide when she sees the ring, her mouth opens slightly and he still doesn’t say anything. 

She doesn’t either, just nods and throws her arms around his neck. 

It’s perfect.


End file.
